UMWA mourns passing of U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd

TRIANGLE, VA – United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

“The United Mine Workers and all coal-mining families and communities have lost their best friend in U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd.

“A son of the West Virginia mountains who married into a coal-mining family, Sen. Byrd dedicated his entire life to making things better for coal miners everywhere. He was a champion of the 1969 Coal Miner Health and Safety Act, and convinced President Nixon not to veto the bill. In the 40 years prior to its passage, 32,000 miners lost their lives on the job. In the 40 years since, that number stands at slightly more than 3,200. One could argue that thanks to Sen. Byrd’s efforts, 29,000 lives were saved.

“Since that time, Sen. Byrd consistently fought for additional protections for miners. He led the charge to secure the 1977 revisions to the 1969 Act. He fought in 1992 to continue health care benefits for mining families, and many times since then to secure funding, so that today, 100,000 UMWA members are still getting benefits. He relentlessly pushed for answers in the Aracoma and Sago disasters to prevent these tragedies from occurring again. And he fought for enhanced Black Lung benefits his entire life.

“Despite failing health, Sen. Byrd fought to the very end to improve miners’ lives. Last spring, his amendments to the health care bill restored the process of miners getting – and their widows keeping – black lung benefits for those miners who have been totally disabled by this terrible disease. And just last month, he grilled Massey CEO Don Blankenship during a Senate hearing he led into the Upper Big Branch mine disaster.

“All of us from the coalfields have lost our best friend in Robert C. Byrd. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.”